Widebody transport came within 1 to 2 miles of 2 VFR-fgt's during descent.

Attributes
ACN	104458
Time
Date	198901
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 5 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	104458
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working the R67 sector to jfk with a trnee. Widebody transport was given a clearance to descend to 11000' as widebody transport was leaving 15100'. Both the trnee and I noticed a fast moving target at the widebody transport's 12 O'clock position approximately 3 mi southeast-bnd squawking 1200. Mode C indicated 14600' climbing. By the next target hit the unknown target was above the widebody transport by a few hundred ft. We gave the traffic as soon as it was noticed, and widebody transport saw them. The pilot was somewhat disturbed by this event and asked if we had seen the target earlier. Neither the trnee or myself had seen it and I suspect the fgt's (as we learned their type and aircraft identify later) had just turned on their transponder as they crossed the path of widebody transport. I told the pilot this and that the fgt's were VFR. He informed me that he felt the sep between his flight and the fgt's was a matter of luck and that his flight could easily been in the flight path of the fgt's because of the extremely high speed of the fgt's. I feel that their being VFR is meaningless and I agree with widebody transport that sep was more luck than anything else.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CAME WITHIN 1 TO 2 MILES OF 2 VFR-FGT'S DURING DESCENT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE R67 SECTOR TO JFK WITH A TRNEE. WDB WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 11000' AS WDB WAS LEAVING 15100'. BOTH THE TRNEE AND I NOTICED A FAST MOVING TARGET AT THE WDB'S 12 O'CLOCK POS APPROX 3 MI SE-BND SQUAWKING 1200. MODE C INDICATED 14600' CLBING. BY THE NEXT TARGET HIT THE UNKNOWN TARGET WAS ABOVE THE WDB BY A FEW HUNDRED FT. WE GAVE THE TFC AS SOON AS IT WAS NOTICED, AND WDB SAW THEM. THE PLT WAS SOMEWHAT DISTURBED BY THIS EVENT AND ASKED IF WE HAD SEEN THE TARGET EARLIER. NEITHER THE TRNEE OR MYSELF HAD SEEN IT AND I SUSPECT THE FGT'S (AS WE LEARNED THEIR TYPE AND ACFT IDENT LATER) HAD JUST TURNED ON THEIR XPONDER AS THEY CROSSED THE PATH OF WDB. I TOLD THE PLT THIS AND THAT THE FGT'S WERE VFR. HE INFORMED ME THAT HE FELT THE SEP BTWN HIS FLT AND THE FGT'S WAS A MATTER OF LUCK AND THAT HIS FLT COULD EASILY BEEN IN THE FLT PATH OF THE FGT'S BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY HIGH SPD OF THE FGT'S. I FEEL THAT THEIR BEING VFR IS MEANINGLESS AND I AGREE WITH WDB THAT SEP WAS MORE LUCK THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.